How To Choose The Best Books For Mental Health Improvement

Books are more than just a comfort. They can be a gateway to other worlds, an entry point to the future or a new past, an outlet for philosophical ideas, and a source of support in times of need.

In a real sense, studies have shown that reading is able to alter your brain's functioning and generate new patterns in it. In a practical sense reading is a way to acquire new knowledge and abilities that you've never heard of before.

Books on mental health are an effective way to analyze your experiences, gain knowledge about psychology, and usually discover techniques and tools that can aid you in your daily life. They can be a valuable addition to your mental health tools by offering diverse techniques, scientific research, and the stories of people who have faced the same challenges.

Source: Unsplash

How we choose

We chose the best books on mental health, according to the following factors:

• Variation: This list of books covers a wide range of mental health issues and offers tools for managing difficult moments.

• Authors: Some books were written by mental health professionals, whereas others are based on the personal experiences of people who have had to deal with mental health issues.

• Its popularity: The books on this list have been highly rated by readers. A few were suggested by mental health specialists who utilize these books with patients.

• Integrity: Our selection of authors strives to provide helpful information.

The top 7 books for improving mental health are as follows:

The best option for those battling trauma.

1. The Body Keeps the Score

Who it's best for: anyone who wants to understand and work through traumatizing experiences?

The main message: For many people, trauma is a part of their lives, and knowing the scientific basis for how it affects the body could be an important tool for healing.

Trauma can take many types including near-death experiences, to sudden loss. Doctor. Bessel van der Kolk utilizes recent discoveries in science to explain how trauma can affect not only the mind as well as the body.

The best solution for anxiety

2. Hope and Help for Your Nerves: End Anxiety Now

Who it's best for: people who have to deal with lots of intrusive repetitive thoughts that could cause anxiety and panic.

The main message: Anxiety comes with various physical signs caused by an excessively active nervous system but there are also techniques for managing your behavior you can utilize to reduce stress and anxiety.

Have you felt like being a prisoner of your thoughts? If you're unable to put out the fires of your thoughts, there's a guide to help you with that. Thoughts that are intrusive can appear like a gnat that cannot seem to get rid of. In other instances, they can seem like an avalanche, which can send you into a state of panic.

The best way to recover from addiction

3. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober

Who it's best for: anybody who's recovering or willing to learn more about the benefits of staying sober?

The key message is: When you're in recovery, you might feel as if you are "missing the boat," but there are many delights to discover within sobriety.

Catherine Gray is a journalist who has experienced personal struggles with addiction issues to alcohol. In Gray's book "The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" she talks about her experiences in recovery and addiction. She provides scientific information and provides the latest knowledge applicable to all forms of addiction.

The best option for women who have survived relationship abuse

4. Healing the Trauma of Abuse: A Women's Workbook

Who it's best for: those who've been the victim of any form of partner violence.

Main message: Sometimes the road to healing following trauma feels long, but there's an opportunity to build your self-esteem and recover.

It can be in the forms of emotional, physical, or sexual violence that affects women, men, and people who are nonbinary. Based on the national coalition against domestic violence 1/3 of women suffer the abuse of a lover, while one in five women are raped. The numbers are alarming and have left organizations such as the center for disease control and prevention's trusted sources with the impression that 20 women living in the U.S. are being abused by their intimate partners every minute.

The best way to understand the viewpoint of a therapist

5. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Who it's best for: Anyone who's thinking about going to therapy, but is afraid to speak with someone.

The key message is: that even therapy professionals need to speak with somebody, which proves the fact that humans are all just like each other, and it's not a problem to ask for assistance when you require it.

Therapist Lori Gottlieb was the therapy room's therapist until she had an issue that caused her to switch roles and take a seat on the couch for therapy. The book is a New York Times bestselling memoir,

Ideal for fighting burnout

6. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

Who it's best for: those who frequently struggle with defining boundaries

Important message: Prolonged stress can cause burnout, but there are ways to stop the cycle of stress and prioritize your mental health.

What if getting rid of burnout was simpler than we thought? Two sisters, Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, have set out on a quest to stop burnout by helping people understand how to unblock the cycle of stress that is biological. The book they wrote "Burnout The Key of Unlocking The Stress Cycle" is designed to clarify why women feel burnout differently than men, the best way to reduce the emotion, and the best way to manage your emotions.

The best way to heal from emotional pain

7. Emotional First Aid

Who it's best for: those who are struggling with emotions of grief and guilt, trauma, self-esteem issues, or any other emotional pain?

The key message is: Emotional pain may not be visible from the outside however, that doesn't make it less real. Being aware of your feelings in the same way as taking care of your body can aid.

Heartache, loss, failure, and rejection may not be so obvious as a damaged or open wound, however, that doesn't mean they're any less difficult. Guy Winch, Ph.D., created "Emotional First Aid" to give strategies to people struggling with the emotional traumas which everyone suffers at some point in their lives. As with any wound that is left untreated, a condition could cause it to get worse or even spread. Instead of prescribing patients prescriptions, Winch provides strategies and tools to create your personal emotional first aid kit. In his book, he addresses the issues of loneliness, rejection, loss and anxiety, guilt about failure, guilt, and low self-esteem.